32 year old, 55k equivalent contract to 23k grad job?
Discussion
Probably worth jumping on Reed/monster and the like and searching for the kind of jobs you think you might be after in a few years time in your area. I'm 34 and if I had fewer outgoings/expensive plans (wedding and a house move in the next couple of years!) I'd seriously consider retraining.
crofty1984 said:
Probably worth jumping on Reed/monster and the like and searching for the kind of jobs you think you might be after in a few years time in your area. I'm 34 and if I had fewer outgoings/expensive plans (wedding and a house move in the next couple of years!) I'd seriously consider retraining.
Where is the money these days?anonymous said:
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anonymous said:
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For a fair comparision, my current role if permie is about 35k (40k if pushing it).anonymous said:
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I don't have much experience of it so don't know what it's really like in all honesty!I was hoping it would let me broaden my experience as I've just been working in one area not related to design, but not sure this the right way to go just because this is a huge pay drop without that much better prospects long term.
It would be an area of the country I want to live but then I couldn't afford to buy a place here on that salary anyway. Maybe some experience that could lead to another area like Mechanical Piping in Oil & Gas/Nuclear/Process longer term. I think some of the M&E work on industrial projects would be interesting rather than the plain blocks of residential flats.
I do have a friend who works in MEP and whilst it's early days in his career, I don't think he'd say it's that great other than you can work in more cities which isn't that common in Mechanical.
I have been giving some thought to forgetting about engineering altogether as a career and keeping it as a hobby, I got a 1st MEng (which I know doesn't count for much alone these days) and sure there might be better prospects in another area...a case of the grass is greener though.
Edited by mh9000 on Saturday 2nd June 16:39
I'd keep looking if I was you.
Aerospace companies might be more up your street. There are lots of interesting engineering companies in the UK. It doesn't sound like this grad job is one of them.
The most important thing is that you are you working through your options imo. It'll come good if you keep researching and hunting for the jobs but don't simply "settle" for something.
32 is still very young btw.
Aerospace companies might be more up your street. There are lots of interesting engineering companies in the UK. It doesn't sound like this grad job is one of them.
The most important thing is that you are you working through your options imo. It'll come good if you keep researching and hunting for the jobs but don't simply "settle" for something.
32 is still very young btw.
Get a job with a building M&E design build contractor with your sights set on being a project/contracts manager. Decent money to be had in that game, especially if you can get into the sales side of things. In my experience the best PM’s have always come from a proper engineering or contractor background as they actually understand how/why it all works, not just how to put it together.
blank said:
Have you looked for permanent roles at:
Bruel and Kjaer
DeweSoft
LMS
Millbrook
MIRA
Nissan
Ricardo
?
I've assumed you're already at JLR.
Usually lots of demand for good NVH people and it's a pretty safe area in the automotive field.
Interesting, I was also a bit concerned that the electrification of cars is going to reduce NVH jobs. A lot less intake/exhaust noise, way less engine vibration. Of course road and wind will still be there.Bruel and Kjaer
DeweSoft
LMS
Millbrook
MIRA
Nissan
Ricardo
?
I've assumed you're already at JLR.
Usually lots of demand for good NVH people and it's a pretty safe area in the automotive field.
The reason I'm thinking of leaving automotive altogether, especially NVH, is it fixes me to only a handful of potential employers, mainly in the midlands. I suppose that is the same with a lot of jobs after a certain point.
dvs_dave said:
Get a job with a building M&E design build contractor with your sights set on being a project/contracts manager. Decent money to be had in that game, especially if you can get into the sales side of things. In my experience the best PM’s have always come from a proper engineering or contractor background as they actually understand how/why it all works, not just how to put it together.
This was partly my thinking, maybe this job although pretty low could be a way in.As mentioned further up though, maybe best to keep searching as a small M&E design consultant couldn't offer that much more.
mh9000 said:
blank said:
Have you looked for permanent roles at:
Bruel and Kjaer
DeweSoft
LMS
Millbrook
MIRA
Nissan
Ricardo
?
I've assumed you're already at JLR.
Usually lots of demand for good NVH people and it's a pretty safe area in the automotive field.
Interesting, I was also a bit concerned that the electrification of cars is going to reduce NVH jobs. A lot less intake/exhaust noise, way less engine vibration. Of course road and wind will still be there.Bruel and Kjaer
DeweSoft
LMS
Millbrook
MIRA
Nissan
Ricardo
?
I've assumed you're already at JLR.
Usually lots of demand for good NVH people and it's a pretty safe area in the automotive field.
The reason I'm thinking of leaving automotive altogether, especially NVH, is it fixes me to only a handful of potential employers, mainly in the midlands. I suppose that is the same with a lot of jobs after a certain point.
Where do you want to be geographically?
There is also plenty of NVH demand in military work, aerospace, buses/trucks.
I’m quite senior in an MEP consultancy and can vouch for the previous comments that £50k salary outside London is probably 8 or so years into your career if you start as a graduate.
With your experience (assuming there are some relatable skills) and given your age (maturity over a fresh-out grad) I would go straight for Engineer roles (skipping a few years out). Don’t play down any work you have been doing in the automotive industry - the MEP chaps interviewing you will most likely find it really interesting and it will set you apart from others.
As you progress you will naturally do more client facing stuff (incl travel to and from wherever they are based), project management and training others, and also more business admin. so although your first few years will be calcs and reports, the career isn’t limited to just this.
With your experience (assuming there are some relatable skills) and given your age (maturity over a fresh-out grad) I would go straight for Engineer roles (skipping a few years out). Don’t play down any work you have been doing in the automotive industry - the MEP chaps interviewing you will most likely find it really interesting and it will set you apart from others.
As you progress you will naturally do more client facing stuff (incl travel to and from wherever they are based), project management and training others, and also more business admin. so although your first few years will be calcs and reports, the career isn’t limited to just this.
blank said:
Electrification will make some areas much more important (road noise, wind noise, transfer paths etc) as there isn't an engine to mask it all!
Where do you want to be geographically?
There is also plenty of NVH demand in military work, aerospace, buses/trucks.
Ideally Yorkshire, North East or Manchester. Where do you want to be geographically?
There is also plenty of NVH demand in military work, aerospace, buses/trucks.
cheshire_cat said:
I’m quite senior in an MEP consultancy and can vouch for the previous comments that £50k salary outside London is probably 8 or so years into your career if you start as a graduate.
With your experience (assuming there are some relatable skills) and given your age (maturity over a fresh-out grad) I would go straight for Engineer roles (skipping a few years out). Don’t play down any work you have been doing in the automotive industry - the MEP chaps interviewing you will most likely find it really interesting and it will set you apart from others.
As you progress you will naturally do more client facing stuff (incl travel to and from wherever they are based), project management and training others, and also more business admin. so although your first few years will be calcs and reports, the career isn’t limited to just this.
What sort of relatable skills do you mean? The organisational/dealing with people side of things?With your experience (assuming there are some relatable skills) and given your age (maturity over a fresh-out grad) I would go straight for Engineer roles (skipping a few years out). Don’t play down any work you have been doing in the automotive industry - the MEP chaps interviewing you will most likely find it really interesting and it will set you apart from others.
As you progress you will naturally do more client facing stuff (incl travel to and from wherever they are based), project management and training others, and also more business admin. so although your first few years will be calcs and reports, the career isn’t limited to just this.
I have found a lot of places seem not to be interested in recruiting as anything other than grad as I can't say I've done IES calcs for example, and don't have that particular technical side of things. I'm sure I can learn the technical side quickly enough however. I know what you mean though and pretty certain in automotive for example people have been known to move sideways at the same grade from say NVH to Thermal systems.
I have been trying to learn as much as is possible at home but without using it in anger so to speak on a project there's a limit to what you can learn. Also the licenses are into the £k's per year and not easy to find a possible "back-up" copy as it may be with various CAD packages. So I felt the only way in was a grad route but now reconsidering it due to the massive step back it seems to be.
I have a couple of friends working in MEP consultancies as engineers and another running his own medium size contractors and using these outputs from consulting engineers, so somewhat familiar with it.
I know what you mean though, it would be a big switch in the nature of the work. I've pretty much decided to stick with where I am for now and continue the search.
Some of the prospects mentioned by Cheshire Cat in the M&E side, potentially even as quantity surveyor could be interesting.
I know what you mean though, it would be a big switch in the nature of the work. I've pretty much decided to stick with where I am for now and continue the search.
Some of the prospects mentioned by Cheshire Cat in the M&E side, potentially even as quantity surveyor could be interesting.
cheshire_cat said:
I’m quite senior in an MEP consultancy and can vouch for the previous comments that £50k salary outside London is probably 8 or so years into your career if you start as a graduate.
With your experience (assuming there are some relatable skills) and given your age (maturity over a fresh-out grad) I would go straight for Engineer roles (skipping a few years out). Don’t play down any work you have been doing in the automotive industry - the MEP chaps interviewing you will most likely find it really interesting and it will set you apart from others.
As you progress you will naturally do more client facing stuff (incl travel to and from wherever they are based), project management and training others, and also more business admin. so although your first few years will be calcs and reports, the career isn’t limited to just this.
Cheshire Cat,With your experience (assuming there are some relatable skills) and given your age (maturity over a fresh-out grad) I would go straight for Engineer roles (skipping a few years out). Don’t play down any work you have been doing in the automotive industry - the MEP chaps interviewing you will most likely find it really interesting and it will set you apart from others.
As you progress you will naturally do more client facing stuff (incl travel to and from wherever they are based), project management and training others, and also more business admin. so although your first few years will be calcs and reports, the career isn’t limited to just this.
Interesting that you think it’s realistic to be able to go straight in and skip the grad phase. I’m finding that places are interested but don’t take into account my automotive/development work as it’s not directly relevant so only being offered the grad roles.
I.e. As I don’t have experience with the MEP calcs in a job (even though I know I’m capable)
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